Lowdown, June 2011

Much as I enjoyed putting this (and every) issue together, I know for sure that next month’s is going to be off the charts awesome. You see, since saddling up to the Editor’s desk for the January 2011 issue, I’ve

Much as I enjoyed putting this (and every) issue together, I know for sure that next month’s is going to be off-the-charts awesome. You see, since saddling up to the Editor’s desk for the January 2011 issue, I’ve been kinda on my own here. Of course, BP is lucky to have a pretty amazing stable of freelance contributors, and without the help of people like Chris Jisi, Karl Coryat, Bryan Beller, John Goldsby, Stevie Glasgow, and Jimmy Leslie—let alone our design, production, and sales teams—there’d be no way we could pull it off every month. But while I had the luxury in my early days at the magazine to work with a full staff of like-minded players, writers, and editors, there’s been a pretty major thinning of the ranks in recent years (perhaps you’ve noticed?) At any rate, I’m thrilled to have finally brought a pretty brilliant player/writer/editor onboard as a full-time staffer.

It’s not a moment too soon, as I can already imagine the “Oh my God, how could you omit so-and-so” letters about this months cover story—where we run down a short list of the most influential tonesmiths in the biz—and I know I’ll need some help digging through that stack of mail. I welcome it (both the help and the mail). In my view, writing and talking about bass is at its best very much like playing it: a dynamic conversation filled with tension and release. Go ahead and send that scathing email to bfox@musicplayer.com. I promise it’ll make you feel better.

So who’s the new #2? I’m afraid you’ll have to keep guessing for another month. But flip through this issue and see if you don’t spot a name that used to be all over the pages of Bass Player—and it’s one-time friendly rival, Guitar World’s Bass Guitar. Be the first to email me the right guess and I’ll send you a copy of The Funky Bass Book, the cool new book edited by Bill Leigh. Don’t put it off—I a pretty moody bugger, and this high I’m feeling won’t last forever. . . .

WITH A 2002 FENDER AMERICAN Deluxe Jazz V (fitted with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups) and a 2009 Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Stealth SLO, I can get just about any bass tone I need. The head and single cabinet

HERE’S A RIG ASSEMBLED FROM USED COMPONENTS THAT PROVIDES great tone, the security of backups, and flexibility—and that actually fits in the back seat of a small car I like the classic Ampeg tone, and the 5 tube Ampeg SVP

I HAVE A 1973 FENDER JAZZ BASS (named Sista) with stock pickups and a gold pickguard, and a 2002 KSD 5 string (named Peaches) with Nordstrand pickups and a pickguard I made myself. The rig shown here is my Gallien

I DON’T THINK I’LL EVER BE MORE portable than this I’m running a Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800 into two Acme Sound B1 3 way cabinets. The whole thing weighs less than your average 5th grader and has about

Here’s a rig assembled from used components based on 30+ years of playing that provides great tone, the security of backups, flexibility, and that actually fits in the back seat of a small car I like the classic Ampeg tone,

I PLAY A ’76 FENDER PRECISION Bass, a ’96 Ernie Ball Sterling, and a Rogue 8 string (a steal at $250) through a Markbass F1 into either an Epifani 2x12 or a homemade cabinet that contains an 18" subwoofer, a